Kolkata outplayed chennaii..

Robin uthappa played very good inning. Kolkata outplayed the chenaii in all departments.. In the last overs sakib hasal played and important hand and made a quickfire 40 odd runs in 20+ ballls......

India crashed out of the world T20 cup

India has made the hat trick as consecutively 3rd time they crashed out of the t20 world cup in super 8 stage.

Zaheer taught me nuances of fast bowling

Indian paceman Umesh Yadav said speed was his only virtue before he came in touch with senior pro and team-mate Zaheer Khan, who taught him a few tricks of the trade to improve as a bowler.

Yadav said he learnt a lot from Zaheer during the last Australian tour, which though was disastrous for India as they were routed 0-4. Yadav, with 14 wickets from four matches, was the second highest wicket-taker behind Zaheer on that tour.

"I didn't know anything much besides bowling fast. Since I started bowling with Zak Bhai, he told me that with my pace, if I can gain a bit of control over the ball, I'll be a much better bowler and I'll get many more wickets," Yadav said.


That's what I did in the latter part of the Australia tour -– concentrated more on my line and length than earlier. He had ingrained in me the length that I had to hit, and I constantly kept that in mind before every delivery. I'm still working on it and I have a long way to go," he said.

"He told me the sooner you learn from your mistakes, the better you'll get. I always keep that in mind and try not to repeat my mistakes," he said.

Yadav said the team had forgettable time in Australia but he returned richer in experience.

"As a team, we didn't do too well but when I returned home, the only thing I kept in mind was to keep up with the way I bowled there and keep improving on it every day. I was very happy to be going to Australia. It's a dream of every fast bowler to bowl on Australian wickets. I'm very thankful to Zaheer bhai," he said after India's win against New Zealand in the first Test in Hyderabad.

India returned to Test victory thrashing New Zealand by an innings and 115 runs and Yadav said they would look to carry on the winning momentum.

"The last two series that we played didn't go well for us and we were under a lot of pressure ahead of this one. This is a good start to the season and we'll look to carry on in this vein."

Yadav picked a wicket each in both the New Zealand innings as the spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha shared the remaining 18 wickets in between them.

The young Indian pacer said they too had a strategy against the Kiwis although the spin duo dominated the proceedings.

"The wicket was not turning that much. Our spinners worked really hard for their wickets. But yes, when bowling on such slow and low wickets, we just try to keep pitching the ball on one side of the wicket consistently. That's what Zaheer bhai and I did -– we just kept bowling the same line and our spinners did the rest of the job," he said.

Yadav also said that he share very good chemistry with Ishant Sharma who came back into the squad after an ankle surgery.

"In this series, Ishant is coming after recovering from a surgery. If that wasn't the case, surely he would've been the first choice since he is more experienced than me."

"When I'm playing, he keeps giving me feedback about my bowling if he feels I'm doing something wrong. We share a very good relationship," he said.

Source:Rediff.com

Expect a fast track at SCG: curator

Done in by pace and movement during the opening Test against Australia , the Indian cricket team is unlikely to get much respite in the second match as well with the pitch curator promising a track which will initially aid fast bowlers.

SCG curator Tom Parker said the pitch he is preparing would favour fast bowlers on the opening day before settling down and turning later.
A year ago, Australia registered a first-day score of 134/4 on a rain-marred first day en route to an innings defeat to England
"I was happy with that (pitch for the game against England) and I was happy with the previous year's as well (against Pakistan)," Parker told ESPNcricinfo.
"The last two years we've really got it together and it has really come up well. I'm hoping to have a pitch somewhat similar to that.
"That's the ideal scenario and that's what we're aiming for. I don't see why that won't happen. The weather's been kind to me and the forecast is for hot sunny days in the lead-up to the Test and the first couple of days of the Test, so I don't see why it shouldn't be perfect for us," he added.
India lost the opening Test by 122 runs and Australian pacers played a crucial role in triggering the visiting team's batting collapses.
It has been raining here but Parker said it won't affect the preparation of the pitch at the SCG, where the India-Australia match will be the 100th Test played.
"There's been a lot of rain around but we have the covers on as well; we've had a lot of matches up to date and it hasn't affected our preparation too much on the centre," Parker said.
"The thing that's been a bit of a downfall for us is the overcast conditions more than the rain.
"The hours of direct sunlight have been fairly minimal on several days, and that's been a bit of a pain as far as grass growth goes. In saying that, the outfield's in tip-top condition, as is the centre square," he added.
Parker said he would ensure a sporting track, which has something for everyone -- pacers, spinners and batsmen.
"That's what I've always aimed for. It has always been my goal to produce pitches with an even coverage of grass and pitches that were going to play consistently over the period of the match. We've got that mix pretty well right now.
"As long as you're going into the match with great preparation and good grass coverage, nice even moisture throughout the pitch, it usually pays off and the pitch will play consistently," he added.

source:rediff.com

Australia fortifies their pace attack with Harris inclusion

Australia brought Ryan Harris into their squad for the second Test against India on Friday, adding a fourth pace option a day after bowling their way to victory in the opening match against the tourists.
The injury-prone Harris joins James Pattinson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus in the 12-man party for the second match in the four-Test series, which starts on Tuesday at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

source:rediff

I can play as per situation demands: Yusuf Pathan

Dashing Baroda batsman Yusuf Pathan doesn't believe with the popular perception about him being a pinch-hitter; he believes he can change his game according as per the situation demands.

"I had started as a pinch-hitter, but now I have a different role to play. I try to play according to team's needs, be it domestic or international cricket," Pathan said.

"I have scored a century against New Zealand and played some big knocks in the recent past. It is not correct to say that I am a batsman who deals in sixes and fours only," he added.

He is confident that he will make it to the final squad for the World Cup, to be held in sub-continent from February 19 next year.

"Obviously, it is a dream to be a part of World Cup team and I am no exception. I have worked hard to get a place in the team. I am working on both areas of the game for that," he said.

India's [ 30-member World Cup probables list will be selected on Saturday.

Yusuf blasted his way to an unbeaten 123 off only 96 deliveries in a recent ODI against New Zealand in Bangalore apart from providing crucial dismissals with the ball.

Yusuf attributes his recent success to his parents, brother Irfan, coach Gary Kirsten.

"Gary has advised me to bide my time at the crease and he has worked hard on my bowling as well. I got support from seniors also," said Pathan.

He also believes that the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led team will be the strongest contender to win the World cup.

"It is happening in India and we have the home advantage. The Indian team is playing really good cricket recently and is capable of winning the trophy," he added.

Source:rediff.com

ICC extends deadline for Pakistan to name WC squad

The International Cricket Council (ICC ) has extended its deadline for Pakistan to name their preliminary squad for next year's 50 overs World Cup until January 5.

A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) source told Reuters on Thursday that the board had asked the ICC to extend its deadline of December 19 while it sought information from three players who are being investigated for alleged spot-fixing.

"The ICC has given until January 5 to announce our squad," a PCB official said.

Former Test captain Salman Butt and pace bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif have already been suspended during an investigation into newspaper reports that they deliberately arranged for no-balls to be delivered in the fourth Test against England this year.

Source:rediff.com

Kings XI Punjab blown away by Gayle

Kolkata Knight Riders rode on a hurricane knock from opener Chris Gayle to get the better of Kings XI Punjab by 11 runs (D/L method) in a rain-curtailed Indian Premier League match in Durban on Tuesday.
Chasing 159 to win, Knight Riders were 78 for 1 after 9.2 overs when the heavens opened.
For the record, they required 80 runs of 64 balls, with nine of their wickets intact. And Gayle was unbeaten on 44, making most of his dual luck.
Knight Riders made a sedate start, the presence of two of the most explosive openers (Brendon McCullum and Chris Gayle) in their ranks notwithstanding.
Just nine runs came of the first two overs and, more importantly, Gayle (while on 2) offered a straightforward chance but survived - Karan Goel flooring a sitter at midwicket (of Yusuf Abdulla).
The blemish cost Kings XI dear as Kingsmead was soon hit by a 'Gayle' storm, the West Indies captain breaking free with a massive swing of Irfan Pathan that crossed the cover point boundary.
Two more sixes followed in Abdulla's second over -- one each from the blades of Gayle and McCullum. And by the time Irfan's third over commenced, the 'Gayle'storm had intensified.
The result: two boundaries and a six (over long-on) in the first three balls and 17 runs overall.
McCullum joined the party; smashing Vikramjeet Malik for a four and six of successive balls, the first shot bringing about the 50-run partnership.
However, Malik had the last laugh. McCullum in his attempt to cut loose, played a loose cut straight to Kumara Sangakkara's gloves.
The Kolkata skipper made 21 (of 16 balls, 1x4, 2x6) and his dismissal left his side at 57 for one.
Kings XI captain, in an attempt to cash in on the initial breakthrough, introduced Piyush Chawla into the attack.
And the UP spinner almost doubled the breakthrough with only his second ball, deceiving Gayle (on 32 then) with a googly and getting an outside edge. Sangakkara spilled the opportunity.
Nonetheless the introduction of Chawla put brakes on Knight Riders' scoring rate. The only significant shot in the next three-four overs was yet another maximum from Gayle (of Malik).
However, with Knight Riders' innings interestingly poised on 78 for one after 9.2 overs, the heavens opened again.
As the rain came down heavily and chances of play resuming hung in balance, there was some succour for Knight Riders, they were 11 runs ahead on Duckworth Lewis method.
Kings XI rally after early setbacks
Earlier, having come up second best in their opening matches, the teams did not tinker much with their respective line-ups, the Kolkata side making a lone change by bringing in Yashpal Singh in place of Ajit Agarkar .
While for Kings XI, it was partly owing to the lack of options, for Knight Riders, it meant keeping out the likes of Mashrafe Mortaza and Ajantha Mendis , the latter being a crucial omission, considering spinners have had considerable success so far in the tournament.
However, Knight Riders seemed to have their plans in place, as their lone spinner, Murali Kartik , came in to bowl as late as the 17th over.
The Kolkata side secured an early advantage, winning the toss and opting to field. McCullum made the right decision considering the overcast conditions in Durban. And he got an instant reward.
Ishant Sharma , who got considerable movement from his first ball, struck in his second over, getting Goel to edge one to Gayle at first slip.
Goel, who was so impressive in Kings XI's opening match against Delhi , failed to open his account this time. And that happened despite him facing as many as seven balls.
Yuvraj took a gamble by sending Irfan Pathan in at number three, even if that meant he had to drop down the order. Irfan smashed the first ball he faced to point boundary. And when he took 13 runs off five balls in Ishant's third over -- inclusive of a six to deep mid-wicket and a four at mid-wicket -- and dispatched Moises Henriques to the fence twice, Yuvraj's decision seemed vindicated.
Well, almost. For Irfan's innings was ephemeral. The introduction of Sourav Ganguly signaled the departure of the all-rounder. Irfan mis-timed the first ball he faced from Ganguly and Kartik made no mistake at deep midwicket boundary. Irfan scored off just 17 balls (5x4, 1x6).
Two balls later, Ganguly struck again, getting a thin edge off Ravi Bopara's bat and McCullum took a sharp catch.
Amid continuous talk (read criticism) of coach John Buchanan's multi-captain theory, Ganguly, the Knight Riders captain in the inaugural year, had given the incumbent (McCullum) reason to smile.
Bopara (15/15) again got a good start, as he did against Delhi, but failed to capitalize yet again.
The Punjab team had been reduced to 48 for three after seven overs and their captain made his way to the crease.
Yuvraj was sluggish to begin with. And almost gave away his wicket when he pulled a short delivery from Laxmi Ratan Shukla to deep square leg. Yashpal made a splendid effort to catch it but grounded the ball as he landed. And Yuvraj survived.
Even as the teams came in for a 'strategy break,' with Punjab at 67 for three, the heavens opened, albeit for a brief period.
The break seemed to have worked wonders for Kings XI in general, and their captain in particular. 14 runs came off the Ganguly over, the first after the break, with Yuvraj hoisting one beyond deep-midwicket boundary for the maximum.
The over helped the Kings XI innings get the momentum it needed and from then on it was consolidation -- a 56-run fourth-wicket partnership between Yuvraj and Sangakkara that came of just 45 deliveries.
But just as the partnership looked threatening, yet another chink in the Kings XI armour was visible -- the lack of understanding between the players.
On this occasion it was Sangakkara who paid the price, with Yuvraj not responding his call for a run.
The Sri Lankan made 26 of 24 balls, inclusive of a couple of hits to the fence.
Yuvraj vented his frustration on Shukla, hitting him for a boundary and a six of successive balls in the same over.
However, he didn't last long enough to make amends. A wild heave of Henriques went towards deep midwicket and on this occasion Yashpal made no mistake.
The Kings XI captain scored 38 of 28 balls (3x4, 2x6) but, more importantly, gave his wicket away when he was required to hang on.
Taruwar Kohli (1/4) went back to pavilion sooner than he had taken to come out of it, top-edging an Ashok Dinda delivery (and McCullum accepting it sans any gratitude).
Some lusty blows from Mahela Jayawardene's (31/19, 3x4 1x6) blade gave the Kings XI total -- a semblance of respectability.

Source:rediff.com

'Now every six I hit means a smile'

Adam Gilchrist's sixes at the Indian Premier League will not only enthrall the fans this season, but 25 of his lofty hits will also help fund modified bikes for children with disabilities.
Every time the skipper of last season's laggards Hyderabad Deccan Chargers, sends the ball over the ropes, a child with disabilities will receive a modified bike through Amways Freedom Wheels programme.
Amway runs the programme in partnership with the Technical Aid to the Disabled (TAD).
"Every bike is modified to suit the individual child. This allows children with disabilities to enjoy riding a bike - often for the first time in their lives," Amway said in a statement.
Gilchrist said being a father he could relate to a child's joy at getting a bike and would try his best to hit as many shots over the fence.
"As a father of three kids, I know how much fun riding a bike can be for a child. Now, every six I hit means a smile on a childs face," the retired Australian wicketkeeper said.
"I want to clear the boundary as often as I can." TAD and Amway spokesperson Michial Coldwell said, "We are delighted to partner with Adam Gilchrist. Adam is one of Australia's greatest cricketers and a great guy as well. His support for Freedom Wheels and charities in general is highly commendable."

Source:rediff.com

IPL seeks 80 bullet-proof vehicles

The Indian Premier League is looking for 80 bullet-proof cars and buses to transport players in a bid to secure government clearance for their Twenty20 tournament, local media reported on Friday.
The tournament, scheduled to take place from April 10 to May 24, has yet to be given the home ministry's approval after security concerns escalated in the wake of the attack on the Sri Lankan team in neighbouring Pakistan.
The Indian Express reported that the IPL has said they need 64 bullet-proof cars and 16 buses and wanted them within 15 days, while the Times of India reported the IPL's South African security consultants had approached an Indian company.
"This is a recommendation that has been given to us. We're looking into it and we're hoping we will manage it," the Indian Express quoted an unnamed league official as saying.
When contacted by Reuters, an IPL official said they had no comment to make on the reports.
A number of foreign players feature in the lucrative league and are looking for extra safety assurances but the Indian company approached felt there is not enough time to prepare such a large order.
"The IPL management approached us last week for this order," Sanchit Sobti, a director of Laggar Industries, told the Express.
"We have not accepted it yet as they're giving us too little time to execute this project.
"It takes at least two months to armour a vehicle, and they want us to bullet-proof 64 cars and 16 buses in a fortnight," he said. "We need some five months to execute that kind of order.
"A hurried, shoddy job is neither our sort of work, nor is it desirable since it is a sensitive issue and would hit our credibility in case of a security lapse."
The IPL organisers are also trying to hire bullet-proof vehicles, but they are mainly used by politicians, who have their own security concerns in the thick of campaigning for the general election, which starts on April 16.
Six Sri Lankan players were injured and seven Pakistanis killed when gunmen ambushed the team bus in Lahore earlier this month.

Source:rediff.com

Tendulkar ton as India build healthy lead

Sachin Tendulkar scored a masterly 160, his 42 Test hundred, as India took a healthy 241-run first innings lead on Day 3 of the first Test against New Zealand in Hamilton on Friday.
Resuming at their overnight 278 for four, in reply to New Zealand's 279, the Indian innings folded at 520, when tea was called.
Thanks to an industrious 115-run sixth-wicket partnership between Tendulkar and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (47), and a quick-fire unbeaten 51 not out by Zaheer Khan , India established a sizeable lead.
The visitors have reached a position from where they can entertain hopes of winning their first Test in New Zealand since 1976.
Tendulkar was on top of his game, beginning the day with an exquisite cover drive off Chris Martin that set the tempo for the rest of the first session. The little genius was in an aggressive mode as boundaries oozed out of his willow. A backfoot cover drive off Martin bore the class. An elegant whip of the pads and a back cut off Lain O'Brien were followed by a brace of boundaries -- an on-drive and a square drive -- off Jesse Ryder .
The Kiwis merely watched in awe as the master batsman moved into top gear, working the ball delightfully off the square.
The 35-year-old run-machine, who notched his third hundred in four Tests since the 109 at Nagpur last November, pulled farther away from Ricky Ponting's 37 hundreds from 129 Tests.
Having recorded his 19th score over 150, Tendulkar eventually fell to a short ball from a bumper-happy Iain O'Brien, Ross Taylor pouching the lobbed cherry at first slip.
Fast bowler Zaheer then took India past 500-run mark with his 46-ball cameo. He cashed on a dropped chance to notch up his third Test fifty, which was studded with eight fours. He and last-man out Munaf Patel (9) put up 28 runs for the 10th wicket.
Earlier in the day, India lost Yuvraj Singh in dramatic fashion. Venturing to shoulder arms to a break-back from Martin, the left-hander sheepishly had his off-peg rattled. He made 22 before starting his walk back to the hut.

source:rediff.com

Sachin Tendulkar hits a four and india win

Tendulkar guides India to record breaking win

Batting great Sachin Tendulkar hit an unbeaten 103 as India achieved the fourth-highest run chase in history to stun England by six wickets in the first Test on Monday.The hosts surpassed the seemingly improbable victory target of 387 on a wearing wicket with 20.3 overs to spare on the fifth and final day to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.Tendulkar swept off-spinner Graeme Swann to fine-leg for the winning boundary that also brought up his 41st Test century amid loud cheers from 30,000 home fans at the Chidambaram stadium.Tendulkar, showing the form that has made him the all-time leading scorer in both Tests and One-day cricket, anchored India's chase for five hours, during which he hit nine boundaries.

Sourece:indiatimes.com

England go ahead with India Test series

England will go ahead with a two-Test series in India after receiving security assurances following the Mumbai terror attacks, it was England players during a training session in Abu Dhabi. announced at their training base on Sunday.

Officials also confirmed that England would be travelling with a full-strength squad following reports that senior players Stephen Harmison and Andrew Flintoff were uncertain about whether to play in India.
"This is a very brave and courageous decision which will be respected around the world," England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) managing director Hugh Morris told a news conference on Sunday.

The series, which is due to start on Thursday in Chennai, had been called into question following last month's attacks in Mumbai, one of the original Test venues, left 172 people dead.
England, who were 5-0 down in the seven-match One-Day International series, then cut short the limited overs section of their tour with players flying home before going out to train in Abu Dhabi.

ECB security advisor Reg Dickason arrived in Abu Dhabi on Sunday from India to deliver his assessment to the players.
After an hour-and-a-half of discussions involving players, officials and Dickason, it was eventually confirmed that the Test series was going ahead. In response to the terror attacks, Indian officials have switched the venues for the Tests from Ahmedabad and Mumbai to Chennai and Mohali respectively.

The first Test is due to start on Thursday, with the second getting underway on December 19. However, doubts remain over whether Mohali will stage the second Test. Morris is due to visit the city before the first Test commences in Chennai with some reports suggesting the series finale could be switched again to either Bangalore or Delhi.

England's squad for the two-Test tour of India:
Kevin Pietersen (capt), Tim Ambrose (wkt), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Alastair Cook, Andrew Flintoff, Stephen Harmison, Amjad Khan, Monty Panesar, Matt Prior (wkt), Owais Shah, Andrew Strauss, Graeme Swann.

Source:indiatimes.com

The terror attacks in Mumbai on the night of November 26 that left more than 100 dead and 300 injured has also forced world cricket to tak e a backseat.

India, the financial hotbed for the sport across the world, were scheduled to host the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League in the first week of December with six teams from Australia, South Africa, Pakistan and England confirming participation.

However, the day following the attacks in Mumbai, the governing council of Champions League, headed by Lalit Modi, announced that the tournament has been indefinitely postponed.
"We held consultations among all the stakeholders including the founding members, the participating teams and members of the governing council after the unfortunate terrorist attacks in Mumbai on Wednesday night. It was agreed that in the best interests of all concerned, the inaugural edition of the Champions League 2020 should be postponed," Modi said.

Middlesex were expected to arrive in Mumbai on Thursday night but cancelled their visit to India at the last minute after the attacks. Victoria Bushrangers and Western Australia Warriors the two teams from Australia were scheduled to arrive on November 29.

Shane Warne, the captain of the Rajasthan Royals team, cut short his travel to India via Dubai and spoke to the media in the Gulf capital. "No amount of money is worth the risk with what's going on over there (in Mumbai) at the moment," Warne said. The acclaimed leg-spinner was booked at Hotel Taj Mahal during his Mumbai stay, the worst affected place in the aftermath of the terror-strikes.

"I'm shocked," Warne told the media in Singapore. "Darren (Barry) and I got off the plane and saw the news on TV. It's unbelievable. The place is chaos. In Mumbai, that's the hotel (Taj) we are staying at. I don't think we will be going now. Why would you?"

Australia captain Ricky Ponting, though not a member of any of the participating teams, spoke in his capacity as an international cricketer, suggesting the tournament should be shifted to another country.
Cricket South Africa (CSA), meanwhile, have delayed any decision on the Champions League and are awaiting further advice from their department of foreign affairs. CSA's chief executive Gerald Majola said that as of now, CSA has advised their two teams Titans and Dolphins not to travel to India until further notice.

Modi later said that the tournament is now likely to be postponed until next year but will be definitely held in India and not anywhere else. To this, CA, CSA and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have not responded as yet.

"We are confident we can hold the tournament early next year and India will remain the venue, as there was never a problem with hosting it here. All the teams agreed that they wanted to come for the tournament. But we had a problem with finding a third venue after Mumbai. There was no way we could have shifted the venue to Bangalore or Chennai, considering the state of the wickets and the grounds would not have accommodated all the matches," he said.
N Srinivasan, whose team Chennai Super Kings were a part of the tournament, spoke in his capacity as board secretary.

"This unfortunate incident has forced cancellation of all plans. As of now, the tournament has been postponed and that's all I can tell you," he said.

Source:indiatimes.com

India-Eng Test series on; ODIs cancelled

As Mumbai kept burning and the army tried rescuing hostages from the two five-star hotels in the southern suburb, the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) office, not very far from those areas inflicted by terror attacks, managed to pull a stunt of its own.

The BCCI, after day-long talks with the England Cricket Board (ECB), managed to convince the latter to allow the Test series beginning next month to continue as per schedule. The remaining two One-dayers of the seven-match series have been called off but the Test series will go on, the ECB said in a statement.

However, the BCCI officials were still not ready to come on record about the issue and kept saying it was still for the governments to take a decision in the backdrop of the attacks. "A decision will be taken in the next 24 hours," said board secretary N Srinivasan.

However, Lalit Modi, in his capacity as the chairman of BCCI's tournaments and fixtures committee, confirmed just before the ECB sent its release, that the Test series was on.
Mumbai is one of the venues for the two-Test series where the second game will be played from December 16. The first Test is scheduled to be played in Ahmedabad from December 11.

It isn't, though, certain as yet whether Mumbai will host the match. Both the Taj Mahal Hotel and the Trident, which bore the brunt of the terror attacks, are regular haunts for visiting teams, officials and fans. Incidentally, the Brabourne Stadium, venue to the Cricket Club of India (CCI), where the Test was to be played, is just 200m from the Trident Hotel.

According to reports, the BCCI is also trying to find an alternate venue in the southern part of the country to host the second Test.
ECB managing director Hugh Morris refuted reports that the ECB had asked the BCCI to consider cancelling the upcoming two-Test series in India. "I can refute the report that we asked Mr Srinivasan to cancel the Test series," he said.

"We did not request the cancellation of the Test series. Whenever England play cricket, we act on security advice. If our security advice says that it is safe to play a two-Test series, then that is what we will do," he told the media back in London.
England's security apparatus, apparently, has given the go-ahead. On Thursday, the England team was stranded in Bhubaneshwar, where the fifth One-dayer was played. They cancelled their flight to Guwahati, the venue for the next ODI, and will now fly to Delhi on their way back to London.

The Indian team members, meanwhile, have been allowed to fly back home for the time being.

Source:indiatimes.com

India beat England by D/L method

India claimed a 16-run win over England under the Duckworth-Lewis method in a weather-hit third One-dayer on Thursday, taking a 3-0 lead in the seven-match series.

India, chasing England's 240 all out, were 198 for five after 40 overs when poor light forced the players off the field to abruptly end what was developing into a keen finish.

The hosts were 16 runs ahead under the Duckworth-Lewis method for weather-interrupted games and were declared winners in hazy conditions.
Poor light had forced a 45-minute delay in the morning, reducing the game to 49 overs per side.
Opener Virender Sehwag top-scored with 68 to lead the chase against England, who put up a vastly improved display after losing the first two games by 158 runs and 54 runs respectively.
All rounder Andrew Flintoff, who scored 26, grabbed the key wickets of openers Gautam Gambhir (14), Sehwag and the in-form Yuvraj Singh (38), who hit back-to-back match-winning hundreds in the first two games.

However, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (29 not out) and Yusuf Pathan (12) hung on to make sure India held wickets in hand which kept them ahead when bad light intervened.
All rounder Ravi Bopara top-scored with 60 as makeshift opener and added 79 runs with Ian Bell (46) to lift a shaky England before they were all out with two balls left.
Bopara struck eight fours until he was fourth out, stumped against Yuvraj's occasional left-arm spin.

England's batting reshuffle largely failed to work, however, and off spinner Harbhajan Singh grabbed three wickets as slow bowlers once again kept a tight leash on the scoring.
The spinner removed skipper Kevin Pietersen (13) and out of form Paul Collingwood (1) off successive overs, returning three for 31.
He reached a career tally of 200 one-day wickets when he had Owais Shah (40) caught on the boundary.

Flintoff and fellow paceman Stuart Broad bowled superbly in tandem to reduce India to 34 for two in their reply.
The all rounder had Gautam Gambhir (14) caught at long on by Broad, who forced Suresh Raina (1) to play onto the stumps.
Sehwag reached his 31st one-day fifty before Flintoff had him caught by a leaping Collingwood at point, finishing with 3-31.

Dhoni and Yuvraj added 52 runs but struggled to break free as off spinner Graeme Swann impressed in his first game of the series, returning one for 47.
However, England new ball bowler James Anderson conceded 11 runs in one crucial over before India scored freely in the final five-over period of field restrictions.
The fourth One-dayer will be played in Bangalore on Sunday.

Source:indiatimes.com

Sourav Ganguly to join BCCI technical committee

Just days after retiring from international cricket, Sourav Ganguly is set to make yet another comeback. This time the former Indian skipper has joined hands with BCCI as part of the technical committee. Sourav Ganguly will join the panel headed by Sunil Gavaskar and look into the technical aspects of the game in the country.

The Committee members will frame rules and regulations for all the domestic and international tournaments in India. The BCCI's technical committee is headed by former captain Sunil Gavaskar and also has former Test batsman Chetan Chauhan, national selector Kris Srikkanth among other members.

Chief Administrative Officer, BCCI, Ratnakar Shetty said, "There was a slot in the committee for a former Test cricketer and the board asked Dada whether he would like to fill in the space, for which Ganguly consented. I think Sourav's addition is a good one and I am sure that he will add more value to the game. He has played 15-16 years of international cricket and his inclusion in the technical committee is a good thing for Indian cricket."
With Sourav Ganguly retiring, BCCI will surely be looking at making the most of Ganguly's cricketing acumen.

Source:indiatimes

Yuvraj reigns over England again

Yuvraj Singh clobbered his second successive century and then scalped four key wickets as India maintained their stranglehold over England , thrashing the visitors by 54 runs, in the second One-Day International in Indore on Monday.
The home side rode on Yuvraj's scintillating 118 to post a competitive 292 for 9 and then bundled out England for 238 in 47 overs to take a 2-0 lead in the seven-match series.
The 26-year-old Yuvraj, who recovered from a back injury just in time to be drafted into the team, came up with a stunning all-round display to play the pivotal role in India's victory on a rather slow track at the Maharani Usharaje Trust ground.
Yuvraj, who had blasted an unbeaten 138 off just 78 balls in the first one-dayer in Rajkot to mark his return to form, not only notched his tenth century but also helped the hosts recover from an early slump, which saw them tottering at 29 for three at one stage.
He then proved his ability as a left-arm spinner by returning dream figures of 10-0-28-4, which included the prized scalps of Andrew Flintoff , Kevin Pietersen and Owais Shah.
The Punjab swashbuckler stitched 134 runs for the fourth wicket with the in-form Gautam Gambhir (70), while the lanky Yusuf Pathan provided late sparks to the innings with a savage unbeaten 50 off just 29 balls.
The England innings never really got the momentum to overhaul India's target as none of the batsmen really got big knocks needed to keep them in the hunt.
Owais Shah (58), Andrew Flintoff (43), Matt Prior (38) and Kevin Pietersen (33) got the starts but could not hang around long enough.
The two teams now travel to Kanpur for the third game, at the Green Park stadium, on Thursday.
England's innings began on a disastrous note as opener Ian Bell was run-out in the first over, thanks to a brilliant piece of fielding by Suresh Raina, whose direct hit at the non-striker's end gave India the first wicket.
Matt Prior and Owais Shah then steadied the innings to some extent with a 96-run partnership for the second wicket. The two batsmen were quite content in keeping the scoreboard ticking with pushes and nudges while hitting the occasional boundary.
The introduction of the spinners from the 16th over checked the runs for the visitors, resulting in the asking rate climbing beyond eight runs per over.
The tourists lost the wickets of Shah (58) and Prior (38) in the span of three overs to tilt the scale in India's favour at the stage.
Yuvraj accounted for both the wickets, first trapping Shah leg before wicket and then bowled Prior with a ball that turned a bit.
England opted to take the batting powerplay from the 32nd over and suddenly the runs started coming briskly with captain Kevin Pietersen and the dangerous Andrew Flintoff belting 59 runs in those five overs.
Just when England showed signs of coming back into the match with some lusty hits, Yuvraj came to the hosts' rescue by getting rid of Flintoff and Pietersen in the same over to change the complexion of the game.
With the visitors reduced to 185 for five after 38 overs following Yuvraj's dramatic over, the Indians had the game under control and it was only a matter of bowling tightly in the slog overs with the asking rate having climbed steeply.
Earlier, it was Yuvraj who stole the thunder for the second time on the trot. He struck two sixes and 15 fours and also cobbled a crucial century stand with Gambhir, who slammed his second successive half century in the series when making 70 off 76 balls.
Towards the end, birthday boy Yusuf Pathan, who failed at Rajkot, hammered an unbeaten 50 in only 29 balls by clobbering four sixes, including two in the last over bowled by Steve Harmison, and two fours to finish the innings on a high note.
The hosts lost the wickets of opener Virender Sehwag (1), Suresh Raina (4) and Rohit Sharma (3) in quick succession with Stuart Broad doing all the damage early in the morning.
While Gambhir continued to show his good form since the series against Australia , Yuvraj had to play differently, mostly with nudges and tickles, from what he had done at Rajkot where he carted the bowlers with impunity.
The Punjab batsman adapted well to the slower pace of the wicket here and still scored at a fast pace, completing his century in only 107 balls with the help of two sixes and 12 fours.
He finally fell to Broad, in the 44th over when trying to drive the England pacer during the batting side's Power Play taken between the 43rd to 47th over with the score reading 239.

Source:rediff.com

Tendulkar's ton puts India on top in Nagpur

Indian superstar Sachin Tendulkar smashed his 40th century to put India in a healthy position in the fourth and final Test against Australia on Thursday.

The hosts reached 311-5 at stumps on the opening day with Tendulkar (109) putting on 146 run partnership for the fourth wicket with VVS Laxman, who made a solid 64 in his 100th Test appearance.

Sourav Ganguly, playing his final Test, was unbeaten on 27 with new captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (4) not out.

India looked in trouble when they slipped from 98 without loss to 116-3 in the morning session, with debutant off-spinner Jason Krejza (3-138) grabbing two wickets and seamer Shane Watson one.

But Tendulkar, 35, and Laxman ensured their team did not lose the advantage of winning the toss on a good batting pitch. Both scored freely against pace and spin.

India lead the series 1-0 following their 320-run victory in the second Test in Mohali. The matches in Bangalore and New Delhi were drawn.

Australia, needing a win to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, failed to maintain pressure on the batsmen.

Pacemen Brett Lee (0-46) and Mitchell Johnson (1-54) bowled well only in patches, while leg-spinner Cameron White failed to test the batsmen on a first-day wicket. Krejza's three wickets proved expensive.

Australia also failed to make the most of the opportunities that came their way, with Johnson dropping Tendulkar on 85 off Krejza at deep mid-off when the batsman stepped down the track to attempt a big shot.

The Indian batsman offered another chance on 96. Lee ran back from mid-off to hold a skier but failed to judge it properly with Krejza again the unlucky bowler.

Barring these lapses, Tendulkar looked in command and executed handsome shots on both sides of the wicket. He hit 12 fours in his 188-ball knock before being trapped leg-before by Johnson, bowling with the second new ball.

India were off to a brisk start, with Virender Sehwag (66) dominating a 98-run stand for the opening wicket with Murali Vijay who made an impressive 33 on his debut.

Australia's first success came when Watson had Vijay caught behind off a lifting delivery. Krejza then took two wickets in three overs, dismissing Sehwag and Rahul Dravid for a duck.

The spinner, hit for a four and a six by Sehwag in his opening over, extended Dravid's poor run with the bat when he had the Indian caught by Simon Katich at short-leg with a delivery that turned and bounced.

Dravid has scored just one half-century in the series. Krejza, 25, celebrated again when he removed Sehwag, bowled off an inside-edge while attempting to cut. Sehwag hit one six and nine fours in a 69-ball knock - his 16th Test half-century. His third wicket came in the last session when he had the well-set Laxman caught behind.

Source:Indiatimes.com